Body Aches/Pain from FMQ
 

I am experiencing pain around my right ankle and radiating up my leg from holding down the pedal during FMQ. I don't spend long periods of time at one stretch, but intermittent sessions through the day/week. I tried a phone book to support and provide rest for my foot behind the foot pedal. It seemed to help some, but is not the answer. I have stopped quilting for now trying to figure out what to do. I don't want to strain my body and cause damage to nerves or something.

Does anyone else experience body aches/pain from FMQ? And what do you do about it?

When doing FMQing, I know I tend to tense my leg muscles too ... go at it for a constant stretch, whereas when piecing, you do a seam, stop and relax. Then do another seam etc, So I understand what you are meaning.

Yes definitely ... think of the ergonomics and how it is effecting your body and what you can do to alleviate. How high is your chair? Moving your foot pedal back closer to your chair might help. Also, is your machine set into a table? or on top of a table? These are a few of the things that I would consider.

By chance does your machine have a stop/start feature where you do not have to use the foot pedal?
That might help a lot if it's primarily your ankle and leg that is being affected.

I don't feel pain on my legs but I'm with Tartan on this one I get pain on my shoulders and a knot on my right shoulder blade that sometimes last for days and yes just when I'm finally fmq half decent my body limits me also.

Can you use your left foot. Try moving the foot pedal closer so you are not reaching too far. Do stretches before, during breaks and after FMQ.

Does your machine have a stop/start button you can use instead of the foot pedal?

I have severe back and leg pain, so doing ANYTHING is so painful. I just made myself some supper, by the time I had made my meal, I was in so much pain I had to take a painkiller and sit down in my recliner for a while. I hope that you will never be in the pain that I am, but, I can give you some pointers in how to reduce pain. Work on your quilting for 15 to 20 minutes, then stop, stretch your muscles. Get up out of your chair, if you were sitting and walk around for 10 minutes or so. That may mean, go put a load of clothes in the washer,take a load of clothes,put in the dryer. You get my point. Do something to make you move. I know, quitting after only 15 to 20 minutes seems like such a short time. But, I think you body will find it easier if you break up your day with different tasks that require different muscles. Good Luck!

What about attaching your foot pedal to the leg of your table so that instead of pressing it down with your foot, you are pushing it with the side of your knee / thigh ? You could use zip ties / command strips( like they use to hang hooks on the walls ) to attach so it would not be permanent or do damage to anything. Then you would just have to press your leg to the side instead of pressing with your foot.

I spent a whole afternoon after having my long arm frame set up. No breaks no stops. Two days later I could hardly move any part of my body without pain. Now adays I do. Twenty minutes spells at a time and then go to another machine to do piecing or hand applique etc.one set up in different. Places. Advantages of living alone.
I have even used a timer.
Sorry for your pain.

I find that if I put a large book under the non pedal foot it evens up pressure on my spine. Both feet are elevated and equal.

This is a BRILLIANT idea!!

A glass of wine may help you to relax before quilting!

I am with leatheflea. I tend to tense up and can have pain for days after a FMQ session. I have found that if I drink wine before, during, and after, I tend not to tense up while I am quilting - true story!

Wine is not always an option. For those that have have chronic pain or other medical conditions, most are on medication of one sort or another that would make drinking alcohol in any form very dangerous. Others prefer not to drink alcohol for their own reasons. Personally I take a little xanax when I need to relax, but I know better than to touch my machine once I have taken it, since I would have to have the Ambulance on stand by to remove the sewing machine needle from my finger !

That's the way the "old" machines were. I learned to sew on an old black singer in a cabinet with a knee pedal. When I got my first machine with a knee lift, I had a hard time coordinating my knee and foot to do the jobs they were supposed to do!

So, if you have a knee lift, the you would want to mount the foot pedal on the left side.
You also might discover that the pressure it takes may be harder on your knee/leg than having it on the foot.

I take you back to the earlier questions/suggestions I gave.
and will add ... What angle is your leg to your hip? your knee bend from upper to lower? and your ankle bend from lower leg to foot? Likewise for your elbow bend when sitting with your forearms flat on the sewing machine surface? Ergonomically you want them to all be closer to 90° than not.

What can help to adjust these ... chair height and/or a platform for both feet and foot pedal to be on.

On my Sweet Sixteen I can set my maximum speed on the control panel, then that is as fast as it will go when the pedal is pushed all the way down. My foot/leg can relax, no tension. Although I really like the idea of attaching the foot pedal to the leg of the table!

I tend to get a cramp in my left foot. I press down on it a lot while using my right on the pedal. I tend to place the toe of my foot on the pedal rather than the whole foot. that makes it hurt more I think but I do it every time! watch some tutorials that show the quilters foot action. that might help.

Omg--what an overwhelming response from all of you. What a wonderful group of people on this board. Thank you all for your support, well wishes and help! It took a little time for my response as I was trying some of your suggestions and thinking about others.

Actually my primary machine sits flush in a relatively new style cabinet--Perfexion 851 Quilter's Dream by Horn. I am able to sit right in front of the needle for a more comfortable position in relation to my machine. When I designed my sewing space last year ergonomics was a top priority. Unfortunately there are not many sewing machine furniture options in my area so I bought the cabinet online without trying it out. I do like it a lot, but one thing that is problematic is the design of hte bottom of the cabinet to the rear. It has a support piece of wood that juts out about 3-4 inches and sits parallel to the floor. This prevents me from being able to place my foot pedal far enough toward the back of the cabinet so that my calf and thigh form a 90 degree angle. I think this is the crux of my ankle/leg problem with FMQ. Now I will attempt to respond to your (mostly) wonderful suggestions:

QuiltE, Tartan & Mdegenhart - Unfortunately my primary machine does not have a start/stop button. However I have a small Brother sewing/embroidery machine that does. I tried FMQ on it last night and it was absolutely wonderful. I can't quilt on that machine; it's just too small. But testing with a sandwich enabled me to observe how that would work. A new machine with start/stop might be in my very new future. ;-)

Mandyrose - I'm sorry for your pain.

Hopetoquilt - I really can't use my left foot after sewing for 50 years with my right. Foot pedal is too close already which I think is a large part of my problem, but I will try stretching before and after. I think that would help.

SlightlyOffQuilter - I am sorry for your pain also. I will try your suggestions also--limiting FMQ time and moving around during breaks. I can't mount the pedal on the side of the cabinet because it is too far away from my seating position. Good idea though!

DOTTOMO - Thank you.

Busy fingers - I did try a phone book under each foot. My spine/back is fine. Just my ankle/leg were in pain.

Leatheflea - & sew4nin - Don't ever drink, won't ever drink--I have to answer to a Higher Authority ;-). Tension is not that much of an issue for me. Sometimes I actually find FMQ relaxing. :-)

QuiltE - I think ergonomics is definitely an issue for me with this pain. My calf to thigh angle is probably at about 65 degrees while pushing and holding that pedal--putting strain on all those muscles and tendons. My upper body is fine.

Nativetexan - I will try to find some tutorials; it might help.

Well what I did today was put the old pedal back on my Singer 201 that is mounted in a beautiful art deco period cabinet. Then I reinstalled the pedal in the cabinet to use the knee control. I have tried FMQ on it before and it is amazing, but FAST for a beginner. Using the electronic pedal, I had replaced the original with, on the floor didn't provide enough speed control. The original with knee control seems better. I will try FMQ tomorrow and see. If it works out I'll use my 201 for FMQ until I get a new machine for my H

(Sorry I must have hit some sequence of keys and posted prematurely.) If it works out I'll use my 201 for FMQ until I get a new machine for my Horn cabinet with a start/stop button or even a BSR! ;-)

Thanks again and Blessings!
(Hope this post wasn't too long.)

Sheddah ... I can relate to the cabinet issue! I got a new cabinet last year locally made, but probably Horn-like. For mine the shelf that the machine sits on in order for it to be flush with the table top brings it down lower than I really like. And too, I can't really get that 90° on the knee and ankle. I did a lot of FMQing on the weekend, and at times my foot/ankle got too far in front and oh my how my ankle got overextended and uncomfortable pretty quickly. I had to stop a few times and re work the positioning. It would all be OK if the foot pedal were not so high by its own design!

It looks like you are on track for figuring it all out ... just keep at it and you will. One thought I have had and might work for you ... is to put the desk on top of blocks of wood, in order to raise it up a couple of inches. Haven't done it yet, as would take some help and I want to make sure it would be a highly probable solution! Raising it, then affects the chair height, so would I gain? or would it just change all the other heights and angles and I would be no further ahead?

I find that sitting in a tense position while driving can cause some of the same issues you mentioned. I've learned to change my position frequently and if I notice myself tensing up, to consciously relax. And whenever I stop for a break I stretch as many ways as I can.

I had the same problem when I was using a foot pedal, except if I tried to run, or step more quickly,(like crossing the street quickly at a crosswalk) my calf muscle would seize up and pretty much bring me to my knees. Just for reference, this started happening when I was still in my 30's and I considered myself in decent shape.
Since moving to my new machine with the start/stop button, I no longer have this issue. However, I went to do a quick testdrive of a HQ Sweet Sixteen, and within 5 minutes of using the foot pedal, I had irritated that calf muscle again. Took several days for it to settle back down.

Perhaps a physical therapist will offer stretching exercises to help with this and all quilting pains.
sandy

Try a different chair....the seat height can affect your legs...I have short legs and if the seat is too far off the ground (so that my feet dangle) it will make my legs go to sleep....stretching to use a foot pedal in a similar position would cause me grief

Good suggestions, I think I will try the book under the other foot idea. Yes...my shoulders and back are in severe pain after FMQ'ing. I am trying to not tense up so much, but my concentration is focused on the quilt!

It is important to keep moving and vary your activities to help avoid pain. Break up your activities and been careful about repetitive motion for too long at a time. When my husband built my sewing center he made the top drawer in the drawer section to the left of my machine to be an ironing center complete with a specially hinged ironing board that pops up. It was such a nice thought but I rarely use it because I need to get up and walk to the ironing board to press during the construction process. Sitting too long is not good for our bodies.

18 months ago I broke both bones in my right leg and dislocated my ankle so I sympathize. One thing I have learned is to make sure you are sitting directly in front of the needle not off to the side. I also put my foot pedal on a book and a non slip pad under it so it doesn't move. I also bought a neat but inexpensive chair (99.00) that I had tried at my LQS and is comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. Make sure to have something to rest your left foot on so it is even with your right,

I found this to be a problem as well...so I looked and felt how my foot was pressing the pedal. You push your toes down which puts constant stress on your ankle and tendon in your lower leg. I turned my pedal around where the higher end of the pedal was at the front of my foot. Yeah!, I had a lot less strain on my ankle and lower leg...barely had to touch the pedal with now the top of the pedal at the front of my foot. Try this and note how your foot is now not having to press so far down and your lower leg is not being used as much either. Different feel, but works for me.

I have also experienced such pains. My DD made the brilliant suggestion of doing an online search for Yoga for Quilters. I got some great simple exercises that have made a huge difference. Hope you find something that works for you.

I do not do a lot of FMQ, guess I need to get over my fear of it not being perfect the first time out, although I know that practice makes perfect. My pain is mostly in my upper arms and shoulders from my posture while I'm quilting/sewing. Someone recommended that I use the rubber door stops you can get almost anywhere and put them under the back of your sewing machine, so you're not leaning too far forward while sewing. Also, try using a phone book, or anything else that would bring your left foot to the same level as the right foot. My biggest problem is having my right leg go to sleep if I've quilted for too long, although it doesn't happen as much when I'm piecing. I try to take breaks after a certain amount of time and that seems to help. Please try some alternatives as recommended by QB members, and you will probably find the right equation for less pain and more quilting. Good luck.

We had a physical therapist come and speak at our quilt guild. Lots of helpful information... for the foot pedal have it where you would put your feet when you are comfortably sitting in a chair. You shouldn't have to stretch or reach for it. I'm forever chasing mine on my hardwood floor The rubbery rug gripper stuff works . I've also seen a thin piece of board with a small pieces of wood on 3 sides to keep the foot pedal corralled. An of course the stretch break every 20-30 minutes.. hard for us quilters to do... stop when we are on a roll. Hope you find something that helps..

I'm right there with you quilter2090, but my breaks after 20 minutes of quilting is usually on my heating pad on my bed. Unfortunately, I will be on 2 different narcotic pain medications for the rest of my life due to my back so my quilting is very slow going but I do love doing it.

Lady Diana suggested - 'I turned my pedal around where the higher end of the pedal was at the front of my foot.'
This is how I have always used the pedal, no problems unless it moves out of reach. If this is how you use it too, try turning it back-to-front [ to me ] and press down with your heel. It will feel different till you are used to it but may help. Also it has to be comfortably positioned

Thanks for all the suggestions! I have found that FMQ'ing on my 201 (in a period Art Deco cabinet) with knee control works beautifully. Right now I'm doing 22" practice squares, but when I get to a "real quilt" I'll probably need to set up a folding table behind the machine cabinet to reduce drag. That's a bummer because the Horn Quilter's Dream cabinet I bought last year has a hinged drop leaf in back that runs the length of the cabinet for that purpose. It also has a left front extension to put on when working on a large quilt. :-( I suppose when/if I get a new machine for that cabinet that has a start/stop button, I'll be able to use it again.

Turning my pedal doesn't work for me. It leaves me no way to rest my foot between stitching seams. I did turn my pedal for 30 years on my 1980's Necchi. I could then rest my heel on the back (actually front ;-) of the pedal and press down with the front of my to stitch. I think they have ruined pedal design on these new machines. It makes sewing harder without the start/stop feature many now have.

Taking frequent breaks to stretch and rotate my ankle really helps too. I'm going to try and find some ankle exercises to strengthen the muscles and tendons in that area. If anyone knows of any, please post.